We’re not the most outdoorsy family. I think “glamping” (glamour camping) is my outer limit of roughing it. So guiding The Boy through Cub Scouts was a cunning exercise of dodging overnight camp outs for as long as possible. Until it became clear that he wouldn’t be able to get his Arrow of Light and move up to Boy Scouts without it.

Credit: BattleshipCove.com

So when his Pack scheduled an overnight trip to Battleship Cove which met the requirement, I quickly signed him up. Then nearly as quickly assigned Matt to the task of joining him. Hey, a little father-son getaway is a good thing every once in a while. Especially when the sleeping accommodations are simple canvas bunks stacked four high, with two feet clearance between each. Yep, time for some bonding with Dad.

So traumatized is Matt from the experience, he remains unable to bring the memories into his conscious state long enough to write a post. So I am interviewing him and The Boy to create a description.

Battleship Cove is the World’s Largest Historic Naval Ship Exhibit. They offer plentiful opportunities for the public to visit during regularly scheduled hours, as well as an excellent scouting program, Nautical Nights. This program includes classes on knot-tying, Morse Code and flag-folding, meals served in the battleship’s Officers’ Wardroom, and an overnight for up to 80 scouts sleeping in their bedrolls on the battleship’s main deck.

Call me "Captain."

They also bring in story tellers, mainly veterans who regale campers with stories about the day-to-day operations of the vessels on which they served. The Boy still remembers the tales told by the war vet who spoke to his group, especially the story about the sailor who fell overboard!

A big part of the fun is getting up close to the 16″ guns, the 40MM mounts, the turrets and the superstructure. The kids can climb on the 40MM mounts, crank the handwheels, and explore every corner of the ships and subs.

These activities take place on the WWII battleship USS Massachusetts, affectionately known as Big Mamie. Now a National Historic Landmark, she holds the record as the heaviest ship ever launched in Quincy. She was delivered to the Boston Navy Yard in April 1942 and commissioned the following month. Other vessels open to exploration include the submarine Lionfish, the Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr. destroyer, and a high-speed Soviet missile corvette.

And now, the hard-hitting “Go BIG” interview:

Q: Me to The Boy: What was your favorite part of your trip?

A: The Boy: I liked the food. We had breaded chicken and mashed potatoes. The old guns were cool. You could pretend to fire them.